Tag: SRAM

Interbike 2011: SRAM’s pART PROJECT

What might appear to be a waste of perfectly good bike parts, the SRAM pART PROJECT was a challenge given to 50 artists to create something out of 100 brand new components. Their results were on display at this year’s Interbike where they were judged before being shipped to a galley in Chicago to be put on display in October where additional judging will occur. After both exhibitions are complete, all of the pieces will be auctioned off online.

This is not some sort of snooty artist affair with champagne and caviar – this is art with a purpose. After all of the shows and auctioning of the pieces is complete, the proceeds will go to the World Bicycle Relief.  This non-profit organization was created in 2005 by the SRAM Corporation and with additional support from other leaders in the bicycle industry, the World Bicycle Relief helps people in third world countries through the use of bicycles.

Video after the jump

Continue reading Interbike 2011: SRAM’s pART PROJECT

A New Cassette Standard? Hopefully…

For almost twenty-five years, cycling has been a major part of my life. From building bikes to breaking bones; being that kid hanging out at the bike shop to managing one in college; and racing to the top of a mountain or riding to work, bikes are a part of who I am. As long as I can remember, there has always been issues when assembling bikes from parts… especially when it comes to mixing drive train parts.

Usually, Campy shifters would not be mixed with Shimano derailleurs or vice versa, but it was fairly common to try to use Shimano compatible wheels with Campy shifting as there is just a much wider and usually better selection of wheels. Companies such as Wheels Manufacturing of Colorado do an excellent job reworking Shimano cassettes to work with Campy shifting, but the system of combined parts is still a little finicky. Enter the picture, Kirk Pacenti and his proposal for a universal, ’open source’ cassette body. We are starting to see more standards in the cycling world when it comes to parts, so this is not an unachievable goal. Continue reading A New Cassette Standard? Hopefully…

SRAM Powers Up

Back in the beginning of 2006, James Meyer wanted to purchase a power meter for his bike, but Mieke Meyer would not let him make the purchase due to student loans. By mid-2006, Jim convinced Mieke that he could build a power meter and he set out soldiering – 10 hours later he had a prototype. After two years of testing and refinement, production units of the CinQo were finally shipping out to customers. Continue reading SRAM Powers Up

Visit New Amsterdam Bicycle Show

New York, originally called New Amsterdam, will play host to the New Amsterdam Bicycle Show on April 30, later this month. The event benefits Transportation Alternatives.

If you’re in New York at the end of the month, it will be worth attending to check out new bikes and gear. Exhibitors include Adeline Adeline, Alternate Needs Transportation, bcycle, Bern Unlimited, bfold, Bamboo Bike Studio, Basil, Bicycle Habitat, BicyclePaintings.com, Bike By Me, Bike Doctor NYC, Light & Motion, Bikes to Rwanda, biomega, Biria, Bowery Lane Bicycles, Carjacked, Chelsea Bicycles, Chrome, Continuum Cycles, Cooper Bikes USA, cyclelogical and plenty more. Big names such as Specialized, Raleigh, Sram, Jamis, and others will also exhibit.

The show will be held at Center 548 on West 22nd Street way over by the Hudson. Check out the New Amsterdam Bicycle Show site for more details.

Hands On: Epic Comp 29

Recently I mentioned the demo day and test bike programs that bicycle retailers and manufacturers have in place so that the consumer can really test drive a bike before purchasing. With bikes costing several thousand dollars, it only made sense that the customer would really want to make sure that their new bike investment was the right one. Out of all of the mountain bikes that I have, only one is full suspension and it only has a little over one inch of rear travel. Since my days of racing for Pro-Flex in the late 1990s, I have been turned off of full suspension bikes. Realizing that there have been many advancements in bike technology and now that I am a little old (translated…more body pains), I think it might be time to add a full suspension bike to my fleet. Continue reading Hands On: Epic Comp 29